Scots pistol, flintlock, reproduction

[BoldHighlander]

Is there any evidence of an historic all steel Scottish pistol that was not etched or otherwise heavily decorated (like all of the replicas)?

Hi Jay,
I have seen a military version (Black Watch) that was plain, & also had a lobed "kidney-shaped" handle rather than the curled "ram's horn". I don't have a picture handy but if I run across one I'll post it.

[JRB]

Do you happen to know if it had no trigger guard? Just curious.

[BoldHighlander]

Do you happen to know if it had no trigger guard? Just curious.

As I recall it was fairly plain & resembled the plainer of the two repros, other than the butt-end, and yes, it had no triggerguard.

[Bigkahuna]

They made wonderful clubs after they were fired.:ootd:

[BoldHighlander]

Is there any evidence of an historic all steel Scottish pistol that was not etched or otherwise heavily decorated (like all of the replicas)?

Jay,
I haven't been able (yet) to locate the one I described but did find some sites with pictures of different styles of original pistols on display:

http://ugca.org/03mar/main.htm#USSCMACK, scroll down to the section entitled "A Bit of Scottish"...

Castle Gardens & Museum of the Isles, the Clan Donald Centre, if you scroll down you will see a small picture of the Glenalladale Pistols...

finally, I found this picture of a plain Scottish pistol:


at this site Seven Wonder Pistols. They had this to say:
It may seem like an oddity but these pistols were manufactured by many different Scottish armories and were used by many Highland Regiments during the 18th Century. Sometimes called "Murdochs" after the name of one of many armories that produced them. Some were quite elaborate while others very plain. All possessed a knob trigger without a guard, a pick to clear a fouled touch hole stored in the grip of the pistol, and all steel construction (sometimes with gold, silver, or brass inlay work.) On more elaborate makes, a family crest may be laid in the pistol's grip. Often a belt hook was on the opposite side of the lock.

Hope this helps

[JRB]

That's what I was wanting to know. There are repros out there but they're all plain. At least one can say they are accurate to some historic pistols, even if not the majority.

[BoldHighlander]

The following images are from Culloden: The Swords and the Sorrows the Nat'l Trust for Scotland, 1996.

Here are some earlier (1600's) types, with snaphaunce locks, mixing brass and steel, and with differing butt styles:



Notice that a 'brace' of Scottish pistols has the locks on opposite sides of the guns: left side for the left hand pistol, and vice versa:





Here's an early (1670) all-steel flintlock 'dag.' A lateral sear catches the back of the hammer on this one: